


Evermore

by JasSaco



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28705605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasSaco/pseuds/JasSaco
Summary: Serena Carlisle never really considered herself ambitious or cunning, she grew up with a Hufflepuff father, so what happens when she's placed in Slytherin? She finds they're more similar than she thinks. There, she finds Regulus Black, the austere young boy she met on the train and never forgot. She grows up amongst the snakes, what becomes of her then?
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Regulus Black/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

On a little road in Cokeworth, England, there was 37 Ludlum Drive, where a young Miss Serena Carlisle and her father, Buchanan Carlisle, resided. The house was small but cozy, adorned with photos of the two through the years and Buchanan’s, Bucky’s, years at Hogwarts. The house had a fireplace they gathered around on especially cold nights with hot chocolate. They wanted for nothing. Serena grew up around magic in secret, hidden from the Muggle community around them, but she didn’t begrudge it; she only wished they could see the magic and think it pretty. They were not her mother after all. 

It was around her seventh birthday that she started showing signs of magic more overtly. No longer did things rattle when she stared at the too long, no, now? Objects would soar to her hands across the room; flowers would bloom under her touch; and she would float out of her chair mindlessly. Her father had a field day, reveling in his pride and joy following in his footsteps. And he’d tell her as much. 

He’d sit with her on those cold nights and tell her: “I’m so proud, you know, you’re going to make a great witch someday. A good, just witch. And I’ll be happy to be there with you.” He’d say this all with a nostalgic smile, as if he was remembering days long since gone. Serena, or Rena as he took to calling her most days, was unaware of half of what went through his head, but she knew she would make him proud. That would never change. 

Shortly after her seventh birthday, she found herself with new friends as well. The Evans family moved in down the block with two girls roughly Serena’s age, Petunia, the eldest, and Lily, the youngest. Serena and Lily quickly became friends while Petunia, well, it was amiable at best between them. Serena believed Lily to be just like the other kids on the street, until one day she came round to their local playground and she witnessed Lily floating off the swing in an arc. Awestruck, Rena stood stockstill. It was only Lily was on the ground, back on her two feet, that she realized there was someone watching her. 

She rushed over to Serena, grasping the dumbstruck girl’s hands in her own. “Rena, please you can’t tell anyone! No one’s supposed to know I can do this kind of thing.” She let go of Serena’s hands and started pacing. “Mum told me to be careful and look at this!” Lily’s face was furrowed with concentration and worry, and it was then Rena realized she should say something.

She reached out a hand to Lily’s shoulder to stop her pacing and smiled brightly. “Lily! I can do it too.” It was Lily’s turn to be surprised. “It’s magic, you’re not the only one to do it, I swear. My dad can do it too.”

Lily’s eyes brimmed with tears and she threw herself into a hug with the other newfound witch. “You don’t know how happy this makes me,” she whispered, as if the air around them was full of people listening despite them being alone. Lily suddenly jumped back, covering her mouth with her hands. “Oh! If you know about,” she stopped talking and glanced around before whispering again, “magic, do you know a Severus Snape? He lives nearby too. He’s a wizard, and he told me all about this magical school called Hogwarts where we go when we turn eleven and it’s apparently massive!”  
Serena laughed loudly from her belly, rejoicing at having a friend who understood it all now. “I did know! Lily, you don’t know how great this is!” She considered for a moment, wiping away a stray happy tear. “I don’t know this Severus, but I’d like to meet him if I could?” 

Lily nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! I’m supposed to meet him here tomorrow, so just come on over, I’m sure he won’t mind company.” 

“It’s set then!” Serena clapped her hands once and gestured to the swings. “Shall we?”

They linked arms and strode on over to the playground laughing.

The next day, Lily and Serena met up at the end of their block and walked over together to the playground, grumbling about Petunia being a brat (Serena) and Lily defending her saying she isn’t so bad sometimes. In the distance, Rena noticed a figure waiting by the swings, and Lily did too. She let go of Rena’s arm and ran the rest of the distance to who Rena guessed was Severus. As she neared the two who were now hugging, Rena noticed three things upon inspection: Severus was a gangly boy, all limbs and long hair; he was roughly her and Lily’s height; and he was blushing profusely as he hugged Lily. She cocked her head to the side and kept that note in the back of her mind for later.

The two let go of each other and Lily turned to Rena to introduce her. “Rena, this is Sev! I think we’re gonna get along just fine, guys.” She nodded to herself and smiled surely. 

Meanwhile, Severus and Serena were busy analyzing the other. Serena could note the glint in Severu’s eyes, the heavy brow that made him look sullen, and smiled herself, extending her hand to the frail-looking boy. “It’s nice to meet you. Can I call you Sev? You can call me Rena, everyone does.” 

Severus hesitated, but one glance to the redhead beside him and he extended his own hand, shaking Serena’s hand once and letting go quickly. “Nice… to meet you too.” 

Lily giggled and threw her arms out. “Now that that’s settled, let’s talk magic.” she plopped herself down onto the grass and patted the area around her, signalling the other two to do the same. And they did. Lily was made for conversation, easily diving into talk of magic and the wondrous castle she couldn’t wait to see for herself. Severus chimed in once in a while to recount the few things his mother had told him, but upon asking about his father, Sev was suddenly quiet. Rena didn’t have to think too hard to guess what it could be, if only knowing from experience. 

The afternoon passed peacefully, with Lily teaching them how to braid flower crowns and talked about her family, namely how Petunia was whining - Rena used that word - about not being magical. Snape spoke more about magic itself and the different branches, his favorite in theory being potions; he said he was excited for potions classes at Hogwarts. Serena decided to tell the two of them about Hufflepuff and all the fun her dad had in that House. She gushed about the Hufflepuff dorms, how they were located right next to the kitchens, how the wrong taps on the still-life resulted in the person being drenched in vinegar - they had a great laugh with that one. It was always sunny, full of life and greenery. They all agreed it sounded wonderful, well, Severus was aghast at the amount of sunlight it had apparently, and wondered what the other dormitories looked like. 

As the sun began to set, the three decided to head home, Severus going his own way with Serena and Lily waving goodbye, agreeing to do this next Sunday again for sure. The two girls made their way down the winding road to their homes. They said their goodbyes at the crosswalk; they’d see each other at school.

The trio easily fell into routine, and before they knew it, they were inseparable. Although Severus went to a different school, they continued to meet up at the park and wish about all the things they could accomplish one day as witches and wizard. Serena’s father was ecstatic that she made friends who understood and knew about magic, though Rena would catch him in a somber mood when he thought she wasn’t looking, understandably. She didn’t fault him for it, instead choosing to glance at the pictures on the walls, all of them missing a person. Rena didn’t let this thought dampen her spirits, rather it fueled her to be a better person. She was confident, patient, just, all the things her father had wanted her to be all those years ago. 

And she recalled it when she stood in front of King's Cross Station in London once she was eleven. She was with her father and the Evans family, they had carpooled - a seemingly Muggle idea for extraordinary children. She let the moment wash over her, realizing that in a few hours, she’d finally be where she wanted to venture to for years. Her eyes were glinting. 

The group of six rushed in, passing others who were in a frenzy to also reach their trains, but they had come half an hour early just to be sure. Bucky led the way to the area between Platform Nine and Ten and stopped surreptitiously, nudging Rena towards the column nearest Platform Ten. She pushed her shoulders back, gripped her trolley tighter, and ran forward. As she raced toward the column, her mind flashed with images of Lily and Sev and her gathered in the park, speaking in hushed tones about what Hogwarts would be like. She didn’t have photos for reference, except Hogwarts, A History, which she had absorbed in a couple days. She couldn’t for the life of her picture this maroon train her father spoke of, nor the boathouse overlooking the grand lake, or even the Great Hall full of floating candles and twinkling stars. And yet, in a few seconds, her life would be changed forever. 

One more step, and she shut her eyes, and her ears were affronted by the uproar of families yelling goodbyes and a train whistling. Rena slowly opened her eyes. There was a massive maroon train, just like her father promised, but it was even more beautiful than she had thought. In her awe, she neglected moving out of the way and was pushed forward with a thud as someone collided with her back. 

“Rena, honey, come on, you’re holding up traffic,” her father said, ushering her to the middle of the platform with a laugh.  
Rena could hear Lily’s gasp of wonder as she made her way to where the father/daughter duo now stood, Serena still mesmerized by the train that would change her life forever. 

A nudge at her shoulder shook her from her static nature. “Isn’t it beautiful, Rena?”

“Yeah,” she said, sighing. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Alright, girls, back to Earth, come on.” 

That was all it took for the two eleven-year olds to turn to their families and beam. Rena noticed Petunia standing farther back, looking around in wonder much like they had been only moments ago. Rena also noted that for later. 

“Now, you’re going to head onto that train, and you’re going to change lives. Be good, and stay safe, girls,” Bucky, said, his voice straining at the end. 

He pulled Serena in for a hug, while Lily was being crushed by her own parents. Serena hugged back with all her might.\

“I love you, Dad, I’ll make you so proud,” she whispered. “You won’t know what hit you when I come back.”

“Rena, you could never disappoint me, darling.” He pulled away and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’re the biggest blessing in my life. Don’t you forget that.” 

She nodded and whipped her head around when she heard the train begin to whistle. “I think that’s my cue, Dad.” She smiled wistfully and tugged him in for another hug. 

He patted her back and then proceeded to push her lightly in the direction of the train. “Be good, and stay safe! I mean it!” 

Serena laughed and without looking back she launched herself up the steps of the train, her luggage on the train. She looked back to see Lily hesitating, and didn’t think twice before calling out her name. People turned to look, but she disregarded it. Save for one group. Serena glanced back at them with interest. A tall woman, dressed impeccably stood with a somber looking man in nice dress robes with two boys, both of whom looked varying degrees of defeated. There was also a house elf farther from them holding onto a trolley with the boys’ things, she presumed. But she caught the eye of the smaller one. He was staring right at her with a glint in his eyes. He had a small smile on his face, but it was quickly wiped away when a hand reached down to smack him on the shoulder. He flinched and looked away. Serena winced at the phantom pain she felt in her own shoulder just at witnessing that, and wished the unknown boy all her best. 

She caught her wits about her in time to see Lily bounding on over to the steps she was blocking others from climbing up, but she shrugged. She smiled at Lily and held open the door for her with a mock bow. Lily giggled and entered first, Serena following. 

Lily’s head was turning every which way to see different aspects of the train as she walked, and Rena worried she would sooner or later crash into something. 

“So,” Rena said, drawing out the word, “what now? We find Sev?” 

Lily lit up. “Yes! Oh, we have to, he must be in awe of this all too.” 

And so they made their way down the train in search of their other best friend. They were halfway down the train before they found him also wandering and they cried out his name. 

Severus jumped at the exclamations, but looked mildly relieved to not be wandering the giant train alone anymore. “Hello, I reckon this train is fairly big, isn’t it?” 

The girls laughed at his attempt at a joke. “Oh, Sev, you’ve got that right,” Lily said. “We’ve been looking for so long. Well, enough of that - we should sit somewhere, no?”

Rena agreed. “We could walk back up the train, or just keep going down?” 

“I vote we just start beside us,” Sev suggested, gesturing to the compartment right behind them. And made his way over to the compartment door and slid it open slightly for the girls to look into. His confidence always did stop when it came to other people. 

Rena took the lead and slid the door open more, peeking into the compartment. The voices had ceased, but upon looking in she noticed the boys from the platform, plus one more. She smiled sweetly and said, “ Hi there! Do you all mind if my friends and I join you?” 

The boy she didn’t recognize jumped to his feet and beckoned them in. “Yeah, of course, come on in, the more the merrier, my dad always says. By the way, my name is James, James Potter.” 

Serena extended her hand to him as Lily and Sev filed in after her. “My name’s Serena Carlisle, but everyone calls me Rena.” 

They shook hands and James waved his hand behind him. “And this is Sirius,” he pointed to the one with longer wavy hair, “and Regulus Black.” Regulus was the one she had made eye contact with on the train. Upon closer inspection, she noticed he had grey blue eyes, the prettiest she had ever seen, but refrained from saying these words out loud, instead flushing deeply and nodding, taking a seat beside Lily. 

“Hi! I’m Lily Evans, and this is Severus!” Lily said brightly.

Serena caught the look in James’ eyes before he could mask it. “Oh, lovely! Well, we were just discussing Houses and the sorting process just now. Are you all from magical families? Do you know what it’s like too?” 

Lily squirmed a little in her seat. “I, uh, I’m Muggleborn so I’m not entirely familiar with it, but Sev and Rena have done a good job of piecing it all together for me through the years.” 

“Our family, the Blacks, don’t have that issue, see, we’re the oldest and noblest House and all that garbage,” Sirius supplied in a mocking tone.

Regulus shoved an elbow into his ribs. “Tact, Sirius, you’re lacking it.” 

Rena couldn’t help the snicker that escaped her. She quickly covered it up with a cough when the others turned to look at her inquisitively. Instead, she offered her own advice. “My father went to Hogwarts and he always said there were good and bad things to each House, but that ultimately, the person made the House what it is.” 

Lily hummed in agreement. “I’m with your dad there, Rena. He’s really smart,” she said to the three boys across from them. “He’s a genius lawyer, he does both Muggle and wizard cases.” 

Rena flushed in response to Lily’s gushing, not used to her father being spoken of so highly by others, they tended to keep to themselves. 

“Wow, Rena, he sure sounds cool! My parents, well, they’re pretty old but they invented Sleekeazy! Though I don’t use it much,” he said, chuckling as he ruffled his already messy hair. 

Looking to her side, Serena noticed Lily’s eyes squinted a little too much with her smile, a tell that she was really excited by something happening. Putting two and two together, she figured it had to be directed at James; he was sure to grow up to be a heartbreaker. All three of those boys would be, she figured, if this is how they looked now. Though she wasn’t one for just looks, her young heart did flutter when Regulus made eye contact with her again amidst the pandemonium in the compartment. But that too, she pushed aside. 

“Well then, where are you lot heading, if you've got the choice?” 

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad... Got a problem with that?" He suddenly looked over at the corner where Severus was snickering to himself behind his hand. 

"No. If you'd rather be brawny than brainy, that is,” Sev said with a sneer. 

At once, James and Sirius bolted up from their seat with shouts. 

“What would you even know, Snivellus?” Sirius questioned, looking down at Severus with a glare. 

“Yeah, Snivellus, maybe you should focus on washing your hair before you worry about sortings.” 

Lily Evans stood abruptly and stalked to the door. She turned around with a hand on the door. “Let’s go, guys, clearly these three are immature bullies.” Her voice was full of venom, slamming open the door and walking out. 

Severus followed without a second thought, though Sirius did trip him on his way out. Severus pulled out his wand, but Lily pulled him back out into the hallway with a call to Serena to get out. 

Serena slowly stood up, glancing back and forth between the trio and her two friends waiting for her outside. Something in her body knew that she shouldn’t just leave, but she also couldn’t abandon her friends. With a sigh, she submits to the latter idea. 

“Hey, Rena!” She turns at James’ call. “What House do you think you’ll be in?” His brow is furrowed, and Serena can’t get a read on him. 

She ponders for a moment, before saying, “My dad was a Hufflepuff. That isn’t so bad.” And leaves, closing the door on their bewildered faces, save for Regulus’ impenetrable facade. 

Off the train, the three friends see a massive figure yelling near the shoreline. They followed the mass of eleven-year olds, Lily being extra sure to not run into the “toe-rags” as she put it. Severus didn’t hold back from the insults either. Serena, meanwhile, was lost in thought with her parting words. She didn’t necessarily hold any affiliation to Hufflepuff, but the boys were being obnoxious, so she decided a neutral party could shut them up. Besides, their reactions were worth it. 

They all climbed into a boat with a boy named Frank Longbottom. They striked up a conversation about their parents, as was typical apparently. Serena mentioned Buchanan Carlisle and he lit up, claiming his mother knew him. They spoke highly of their parents as Lily and Sev listened patiently, though Severus did refuse to mention his parents, with good reason. All too soon, they arrived at the other shore and climbed out of the boat. They all filed into the castle, everyone in awe of the majestic nature of it. The sky was cloudless, and the stars were shining brightly. 

As they walked into the castle, Serena saw a woman in front of a large door with an emerald witch’s hat. She stood primly with her eyes scanning the group of students. The students were still whispering to each other until she cleared her throat. 

“Hello, students. My name is Professor McGonagall, and I am the professor of Transfiguration here at Hogwarts. Before you is the Great Hall where you will eat with your housemates every day for the next seven years. You will become a family of sorts with those in your House, but first, you must be sorted. There are four Houses: Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. They each bear their good qualities, do not believe otherwise. Now, without further ado, the Sorting may commence.” With a wave of her hand, the doors opened and revealed the hall full of waiting returning students and professors.

Serena felt a hand grasp her own and knew without a doubt it was Lily. She was so nervous, Serena could tell by looking from her peripheral. If she was worried, she couldn’t imagine Lily, this was all new to her for the most part. Stories didn’t do it justice. She squeezed her hand as reassurance, and turned her eyes back to the front. 

The four tables were packed with students either not paying attention and conversing with friends, or glancing at the new students with enthusiasm, no doubt trying to guess who was joining which House. Serena now felt the prickling anxiety hit her fully. All too soon, the people in front of Serena stopped moving and she stopped just short of bumping into someone. She let go of Lily’s hand with a sad smile and they turned to face the front where Dumbledore himself stood. She had heard a lot about the legendary wizard from her father, but being in his presence was another thing altogether. Serena noted how long his beard was. 

McGonagall stood at the top of the stairs to the dais where the professors sat and where she conjured a stool and what Serena guessed was the Sorting Hat. “She cleared her throat once more and wasted no time. She called out the first name, some Abbot person. Next was what sent shivers down Serena’s spine. 

“Regulus Black.” 

From behind her emerged Regulus. He traipsed his way up to the stool and sat stiffly upon the stool. The Hat dropped onto his head and for a moment the whole Hall held their breath. Then, without a hesitation, the Hat declared him: “Slytherin!”

The aforementioned House erupted into applause. Serena watched him stride towards the table against the wall with a quick gait. He seemed to want to get out of the limelight as soon as possible. McGonagall aided him by continuing down the list.

“Sirius Black.” 

He walked with purpose to the stool and slumped down onto the stool with a look of determination. Without missing a beat, the House announced: “Gryffindor!” 

The Hall was quiet before the Gryffindor table began to clap with fervor, shouting insults at Slytherin and cheering for having the first Black in their ranks. It took Dumbledore to stand up for them to cease but the damage was done. The first Black was now in Gryffindor, defying the odds. Serena didn’t have time to dwell on it because she heard her own name be called. 

“Serena Carlisle.” McGonagall gestured for her to come when she didn't move an inch. It took Severus lightly shoving her to move toward the stool. Her hands began to sweat. She never really pictured herself as a self-conscious or shy person, yet there she was, sweating bullets at the thought of the Hall staring at her as they waited for an answer she had no clue about. McGonagall placed the Hat on her head and she waited with baited breath. 

“Ah, I see. You’re quite the complex person aren’t you? I see much loyalty in you, but also, what’s this? A need to prove yourself? I see that stems from your father, yes, I recall his. Quite an easy choice, a Hufflepuff. But you, my dear, yes, I think I know just where to put you. You have so much left to reveal about yourself to the world. I think you belong in…” 

“Slytherin!” 

Her heart dropped. That was the last thing she expected. For all she preached about Houses being equal, suddenly, she was nervous. She slid off the stool mutely and walked towards the table now looking at her with a mix of distrust and distaste. She was numb as she sat beside Regulus who only glanced at her before continuing to watch the Sorting. She was vaguely aware of an older student with blonde hair speaking to Regulus, but could only focus on her present state of anxiety. Serena didn’t think what she was going through was an anxiety attack necessarily, but it was certainly worrisome. So she focused on breathing through her nose and not looking to her sides. 

She looked up in time to see Lily jump off the stool with a smile as she bounded off to Gryffindor. It made sense, there wasn’t anyone Lily couldn’t stand up to or defend. While Rena’s heart rate was no longer concerning, she was now melancholic at the thought of being separated from one of her closest friends - there was still Sev to be decided. 

Serena spent the next few minutes ripping off pieces of her cuticles, until she heard the name she was hoping for. 

“Severus Snape.”

She watched him walk up and sit down steadily on the stool, knowing this is what he’d been waiting for for years. The Hat didn’t need longer, it announced, “Slytherin!” and off he went to his new House, smirking at Serena, though she saw the same sadness in his eyes. No more Lily when we need her most. 

A couple more students went up and once they were seated, Dumbledore stood up to give his speech. “Let me begin by welcoming our new students to our institution. May you find a family here amongst us and strive to be the best version of yourselves. Look around you to see the faces of friends and rejoice to be here. As always, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden, be wary of the changing staircases, and… enjoy the feast!” With that, he sat and the food appeared out of nowhere, though Serena knew it was actually house elves’ magic. 

It didn’t take long for Sev to strike up a conversation with Serena, glancing at Regulus questioningly. “Looks like we lucked out, Rena, we don’t have to deal with those toerags like Lily does now,” he said happily. 

Serena nodded slowly, still taking it all in. She grabbed a few different things to try and started eating without a sound, so Severus moved on to those around him. There was a Wilkes and a Mulciber, and Serena then heard Regulus refer to the blonde as Narcissa. There were a few more people in Slytherin in their year, yet Serena could only exist, not having the energy to speak. 

So she ate. She ate slowly until it was time for the food to disappear in the same manner it appeared. Then everyone stood up, so she stood up as well. Serena followed from the back as she watched Sev easily following into step with his new acquaintances. Her heart clenched, but she knew it was her own fault for not wanting to speak. 

The common room, she learned, was in the dungeons. She thought it was fitting for the snake pit she now found herself in. The prefects dispersed to sit with their friends around the fire, so there in the entrance, Serena took the chance to take in the common room. It was beneath the Great Lake so it gave a green tinge to the whole area. Despite her discomfort, she found the room soothing. With this thought, she made her way to the stairs that led down to the dorms. But she felt the same prickling sensation of someone staring at her, so she turned. 

She was met with the grey-blue stare of Regulus Black. Aside from the one sentence he spoke on the train, she couldn’t tell what he was about. Yet there he was, staring at her from across the rooms with confusion evident in his eyes. Serena did what she knew to do: run away. She waved, and watched his eyebrows rise minutely before turning around and stepping down further into the dungeon. 

Serena opened the door to the first year dorms and was met with three sets of eyes staring at her - she was getting really sick and tired of it. Two of them eventually turn back to their things to get ready for bed, but one of them comes up to Serena. 

“Hi! I’m Emily Parkinson!” Serena quickly noted the bob and green-eyed girl’s features. She had a pretty smile, a tall figure for their age, and was on the paler end. But, oh, God, was she pretty. “It’s nice to meet you. I know the Sorting can be rough, my family’s always been in Slytherin so I expected it, but I heard your dad was in Hufflepuff? Must be a big change. Sorry if it seemed like we were all kinda bitchy, Slytherins protect their own, but,” and she leaned in so close Serena could smell her dahlia-scented perfume, “that’s after we know we can trust you. You know the deal,” she said offhandedly. 

Serena, in fact, did not know the deal, but figured it was easier to lie now than to make more enemies. “Yeah, I know how it goes. If there’s one thing I see similar between Slytherin and Hufflepuff is the loyalty aspect.” 

Emily blinked once, twice, and then laughed, loudly. “Oh, I’m gonna like you a lot, I can already tell. Hey, guys, come over here! She’s not too bad, and she’s funny!”

Serena didn’t see what was so funny, but her survival skills kicked in and knew this would make or break her. She waved at the two girls who she learned were Alecto Carrow and Sophia Rosier. The former was a redhead with dimples, and the latter was a blonde with sharp features. They said their hellos and went back to getting ready for bed. Emily likewise bid her goodnight, but promised they’d talk more at breakfast. 

It was then Serena knew she might be okay, just maybe. The first night was always the worst. So she walked to her trunk with her initials engraved on the side that her father bought her just for Hogwarts, and nearly burst into tears. She missed him, but knew she had to make him proud. Good daughters don’t cry and run back home when it gets tough or unprecedented. She took her pajamas out, changed, and curled into bed with her curtains drawn, crying silently. Not long after, she drifted off to sleep, weary for the first real day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


	2. Chapter 2

When Serena woke up the next morning, she briefly considered the past night all a dream until she blinked and saw the emerald curtains and knew it wasn't. She lay still on her bed as she listened to the groans of her roommates waking up and going to the bathroom. Stiffly, she herself began to get ready, trying to not think about how puffy her face must be. She showered once it was free and stood beneath the burning water to revive herself and wash away the pain that was creeping up on her.

She stepped out of the shower and saw her reflection in the mirror carefully. Her face wasn't as puffy as she imagined, but she knew her red-rimmed eyes may give her away. It was at that moment she wished she knew spells already to fix her appearance. Rena sighed and gave up, walking out of the bathroom and settling for what may be.

When she stepped into the dorm, everyone was gone for breakfast, eager to start the day Serena assumed, so she followed in their footsteps. Serena retraced her steps from the dungeon to the Great Hall, hoping she was on the right path, and was pleased to see she was right when she saw the massive doors. She stepped into the Hall and was hit by the cacophony students' voices all speaking at once.

Tentatively, she made her way over to the Slytherin table, avoiding looks cast her way from older students. Towards the front of the table was where she found the other first years mingling with one another. Fear struck her when she saw Sev look her way and then look back at his new acquaintances. But it was fine. He gave her one of his rare smiles, and she felt at ease. Serena slid into the empty seat beside him and across from Alecto, who sat beside Emily.

"Good morning!" the latter sang. "We're just waiting for Professor Slughorn to give us our timetables. Oh, there he is!" Email waved cordially at the professor who seemed flustered at the attention.

"Hello there, students. How are you all doing this fine morning?" A mix of affirmation and grunts were heard, but Slughorn deemed that enough. "Well, here we have Regulus Black. Fine family, young boy, many of them in my Slug Club if I do say so myself. Well, that's talk for another time," he said, waving a hand dismissively. He squinted to read the next line, but said it in a cheerful tone nonetheless. "And Miss Carlisle! Yes! I do recall your father, wonderful Hufflepuff, dare I say."

He handed her the timetable as she blushed furiously. "Thank you, sir."

Whispers erupted around her, but she caught one phrase. "Hufflepuff? How'd she wind up here then?"

Slughorn continued like nothing was wrong, going down the list and handing out timetables as if all was well. Serena sumped in her chair and felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over miserably at Sev.

"Sev, they're all going to hate me for my heritage, something I literally have no control over," she muttered angrily. The fear was being displaced now by rage at the nerves of some people.

Severus frowned. "It'll be fine, Rena. Slytherin takes care of their own. You've heard me say that before."

"Yeah, Emily told me the same thing, but forgive me if I find it a little hard to believe."

Sev sighed and let go of her shoulder. "Just believe me, you'll see sooner or later." With that he stood up. "Charms? We have it with the Slytherins now."

"How did you know I had Charms now?"

He was already heading down the aisle. "Because we all do!"

She flushed and muttered an obscenity and gathered her things, following soon after.

Charms was a hit with the reunited friends. They sat together near the front, eager to learn, but also eager to catch up with one another when there was a chance.

"Oh, you guys should see the Gryffindor common room! It's so cozy, there's this great fireplace and the couches are so comfortable. And I can't forget about the girls in my dorm! They're so sweet. There's Mary and there's Marleen, oh they're so pretty too! You'd love them Rena. Oh my God, and those toerags. I can't believe I'm in the same House as them!" Lily fumed at the last part. "But enough about me! How was your first night, guys?"

"The boys are fine, there's Wilkes, Mulciber, Black, Lestrange. They're nice enough, I was worried about Black after seeing his brother act like a buffoon on the train, but this one's different. What about you, Rena?"

"It was… it was fine, you know? Emily was really sweet about it, but I said something about Hufflepuff and Slytherin being kinda similar and she took it as a joke, said I was pretty funny to the other girls. Is that even funny?" She looked to Sev for an answer as he knew more about Slytherin than Lily or her.

Severus looked conflicted. "I wouldn't dwell on it too much. Hufflepuffs tend to have a better relationship with Slytherins than Ravenclaws or Gryffindors, no offence, Lily! This is just a generalization I've heard!" LIly looked miffed, but let it go. "Besides, maybe it's a sign they like you. You weren't killed, so…" Sev shrugged his shoulders.

Serena groaned. "It's hopeless. I'm doomed!" She pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes.

"Don't say that, Rena, it's only the first day. Things will get better. Just wait and see," Lily said, comforting her. "For now, why don't we try the spell? Come on, that'll take your mind off things.

And so they did. Lily got it on the first try and she was ecstatic. Flitwick gave ten points to Gryffindor for it. Rena and Sev got it next, much to their joy. Rena had always done magic at home, unknowingly and unwillingly, and to actually be able to control a wand, it was unlike anything else. It was like coming up for air after diving into water. That breathlessness and awe of being alive. That was magic.

Charms was over before they knew it and the three made their way to the dungeons for Potions. Sev was particularly excited for the class. They entered the room and were met with the faces of James Potter and Sirius Black standing close to Regulus Black who looked disinterested. Upon seeing Lily, James diverted his attention to her completely.

"Lily! Lovely to see you, I was so sad I couldn't sit with you in Charms, but that's okay, how about we sit together now?"

Lily turned her nose up and walked past him. "No, thank you."

James looked on after her. "Maybe next time!"

Severus followed Lily, bumping into James on purpose. James glared at the black haired boy and then glanced back at Serena. He looked at her with a confused expression, but before he could say anything, she walked past him too, saying hello to all three of them.

She saw Sev and Lily occupying a two-person desk near the front, so she sat behind them and began to take out her quill - she felt so fancy writing with it - and her parchment. She felt someone slide into the seat beside her and her breath faltered when she realized it was Regulus Black. He gave her a glance and went back to taking out his own materials. She looked around the room frantically to see in a half-ditch effort if she could move, but all the seats were taken. She noticed Emily sitting beside Sophia, and they both waved, though maybe that was aimed at Regulus based on the blush they bore.

She slumped her shoulders and resigned herself to her fate. The quiet calm was broken, though.

"Do you not like me, Carlisle? To be fair, we don't know each other, but glancing around the room to leave the desk is pretty dramatic, " Regulus said, staring at her. "I'm not like my brother, I can tell you that much." He muttered the last part, but Serena heard it clearly.

Serena' breath hitched again and she feared she would be the fool to pass out on the first day of school. She stammered, looking for the right words to not make an enemy on the first day of school, but was saved by Slughorn beginning his lesson. The class passed slowly, achingly slowly as Serena kept glancing back at Regulus to see if he was looking at her, to which he would notice she was and stare back, leading to a ridiculous back and forth. They also kept accidentally brushing hands, to which Serena would jolt away from, while Regulus would simply extract his hand. It wasn't they had a few minutes left and were mostly done with their potions that Regulus spoke up.

He put his knife down and turned to Serena in his seat. "Do you have something to say, Carlisle?"

"I - uh, yes." She felt herself beginning to sweat. "I don't think you're like you're brother," she finally said.

He peered at her through his dark bangs before nodding and returning to his cauldron. Serena was flabbergasted. All that tension for that? She looked at him with her mouth agape.

Without missing a beat, Regulus said, "Careful, you wouldn't want to get potion in your mouth." And he smirked.

Serena was at a loss for words. But slowly she began to smile. "Regulus Black, I think this is the start of a great friendship."

"Banter in a Potions classroom, the best backdrop," he said sarcastically. He pushed his chair back and gathered his things just as Slughorn dismissed them with a request to leave a vial on his desk, labeled with their names. "You know, aside from the creepy stares, you're not half bad, Carlisle, at Potions that is." He slung his bag over a shoulder and made his way out, only to be stopped by his brother. He sighed, and turned to Sirius. "Yes?"

"Nothing, dearest brother, just wanted to see how it was going in the snake pit."

Regulus scowled briefly before schooling his expression. "It's lovely. Is that all?"

Sirius looked away with a sigh and said nothing else. James, meanwhile, was looking at Serena who stood behind the younger Black brother. He was looking at her with an air of distrust, but he smiled nonetheless.

She smiled back at him with a small wave, trying everything in the book to get him to see she wasn't any different from the girl on the train. If the only difference that warranted the reaction was her House, well, that was a separate issue to dissect. She did consider for a moment - if Slytherin took care of their own, would she at least feel at home with them compared with anyone else who all looked at her like an enemy?

She resolved to not let it get to her, she was tough, despite how she reacted last night, she didn't cry easily. She let Regulus leave ahead of her, nodding when he looked at her inquisitively. She was alright. Serena waited for Lily and Sev, the former ignoring James' commentary and the latter sneering at him, before they all left the dungeon room.

"Can you believe that toerag? The audacity of him to even think of still talking to me when I've made it very clear how I feel! Unbelievable!" Lily fumed as they walked up to the Great Hall.

Severus chimed in. "Have you seen the size of his head? His ego doesn't allow for anything less. I'm telling you, you can never trust a Gry-"

Lily spun around to stare at Severus. "Never trust a what, Sev?"

Sev stuttered before ultimately hanging his head. "Nothing, sorry, Lily."

Lily examined him a little longer before deciding she was over it and walking farther ahead. Serena walked after her with Severus trailing behind. "Whatever, I just think this divisiveness is ridiculous. From what you guys had told me, I expected everyone to get along better."

"Well, Lily, I think it should be taken into consideration the amount of different backgrounds at Hogwarts. You know, it's not like everyone thinks the same. People are going to be prejudiced."

Lily groaned. "That's exactly the issue, though! Why have differing opinions on blood? It's ridiculous!"

Serena shrugged in response. They had reached the Great Hall's massive doors, so she waved to Lily, dragging a despairing Sev behind her. After quickly greeting the people in her year seated around them, she turned to Sev,

"Sev, you have to think before you speak, really. That was stupid of you, and you aren't stupid."

Severus nearly growled in response. "I know that, thank you very much."

Serena conceded, raising her hands in defeat." Whatever you say, I'm just trying to remind you that Lily is in Gryffindor, and that's not going to change, so you should get rid of those stupid divisiveness thoughts."

Severus let his head hit the table with a thud. That concluded their discussion for now, Serena decided, and she began to eat. About halfway through her meal, she felt someone slide into the seat beside her. With her mouth full of mashed potatoes, she turned to see who it was. And of course, it was none other than Regulus Black. He nodded and reached over to grab food for himself. With a second more of watching his, she turned back to her food herself. They ate in comfortable silence while everyone else chatted amongst themselves, except Severus, who still hadn't lifted his head off the table. Nobody had the heart to tell him it was bad manners.

Once everyone was mostly finished with eating, they began to collect their things, and Serena was glad she had a free period. Magic was more tiring than she imagined it would be. She had never been so tired when she was younger and magic would just happen. She shrugged the thought off, happy enough to be here at least. It was once she stood up that she decided it was worth a shot to try and make friends. She looked at the people around her and guessed now was better than never.

"I'm going to hang out by the lake if anyone wants to join," she offered. She shouldered her bag while waiting for any response, but with the silence she was starting to dread asking. That is until someone did respond.

"Sure, I'll come," Regulus agreed. He stood up too and made his way down the aisle without waiting. Once he was halfway down, he noticed Serena hadn't followed, so he tilted his head to the side in expectation. She flushed and quickly sped over to where he was as Severus looked on at them, not that she noticed the coldness in his eyes. They, well, Serena waved goodbye at the rest of them, and they left.

As they made their way to the lakeside, Serena kept darting her eyes over to take in Regulus's appearance. He had his hair perfectly parted slightly to the side, slightly wavy, slightly rebellious but not quite. It wasn't at all like Sirius' mane of hair at all. His uniform was pristine and done right, tie up to the top of the collar, and his sleeves all the way down, whereas Sirius had his undone and rolled up. Serena wasn't sure why she was comparing the brothers, it was more careful curiosity, examining all she could take in. Eventually, she looked away for good because they had reached the dark lake. There was a tree off to the side with shade and they decided without speaking to sit there. They sat in companionable silence again for a while, each of them staring out at the lake's stillness, lost in thought.

It was Regulus who broke the silence.

"Carlisle, do you… do you know much about Slytherin?" He watched her reaction as he spoke.

Serena tried schooling her expression, but to no avail. She didn't want to put up pretenses around him, for some reason. She couldn't fathom why. Ultimately she settled for shaking her head.

Regulus sighed. "That's what I figured. Slytherin, Slytherin is tricky to navigate. I'm saying this because everyone I know has been in this house. Well," he laughed bitterly, "not Sirius. But besides him, my whole family has been. It's… delicate, to say the least. People here don't think the same as others for the most part. I overheard your dad was in Hufflepuff, is that right?" She nodded. "Yeah, I think they have one thing in common: loyalty."

"That's what I said last night!" Serena jumped in before clamping her hands over her mouth, not having wanted to interrupt him. "Sorry," she muttered.

Regulus smirked again and Serena decided then and there before the year was over she wanted to see him smile, not smirk.

"As I was saying, they have that in common, but that's really where it ends. Slytherin has a notorious legacy for having evil wizards, anyone would tell you that."

"What about Merlin? He was a Slytherin." Serena couldn't stop herself from speaking again, not understanding where this was going.

"You're right, he was. But so many more have been evil, or at least not had good results. Ambition, it ruins lives. Cunning sometimes tries to save it, but not always."

"You know, Regulus, I really have no clue where you're going with all of this."

"And here I thought you didn't mean to interrupt," he said sarcastically.

Serena laughed at the dig. "Couldn't help it, sorry." She looked only slightly apologetic. "But really, where is all this going?"

"What I'm trying to tell you is that I want to help you survive this. I'm not going to let you sink, Carlisle."

"Serena."

"What?"

"If you're going to be my friend, which is a faster way of saying all of that, call me Serena," she reiterated.

Regulus eyed her for a moment, and Serena was quickly finding herself lost in the grey of his eyes. Finally, he agreed with a nod.

She crossed her arms and settled against the tree trunk. "So, what do I have to know about big old Slytherin? Emily already laughed at me for comparing Hufflepuff to Slytherin, so what else should I avoid?"

Regulus stifled a chuckle, covering it up with a cough. "Well, firstly, not do that. Secondly, know a bit about high society in the wizarding world. Thirdly, act like you think Slytherin is the best-"

"Hold up, now that's just stupid. I refuse to do that."

He looked at her with an arched brow. "You really think that's going to help your case if you preach about House unity?"

Serena drew her lips in a thin line. "But how am I going to pretend? I don't believe in that one bit. So far the older students in Slytherin just seem like toerags."

"That's not true. My cousin Narcissa is sweet, that's one."

"She's family, doesn't count."

Regulus sighed. "Then I guess you're just going to have to get really good at lying really fast. And… there's one more thing. You may need to not be seen with Evans so publicly."

Serena leaned forward with a furious glare. "Absolutely not! Lily Evans is my best friend and practically my sister. That's just preposterous. Honestly, if all of this is about deception and lies, maybe the Sorting Hat made a mistake. I should've just been in Hufflepuff."

Regulus kept his calm despite Serena's fit. "If you really think that's the case, you must be dumb. The Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes. It analyzes everything about you. There's a reason Sirius wound up in Gryffindor, and me in Slytherin. It just knows. You must have something in you that screamed Slytherin, or care about something enough for the Sorting Hat to see it."

Serena Carlisle had never been so struck. Here was someone who she thought she could be friends with, and he was reading her to filth. She slumped back against the tree trunk and wagered whether it was worth it to throw another fit and leave him here. She sighed. No, it wasn't. He was only trying to help. It wouldn't be fair.

Besides, his words made sense. She didn't want to follow in her dad's footsteps. That must have been a factor in it.

Struggling, she bit her lip, wondering if he was trustworthy enough to admit this too. Ultimately, she decided she didn't have much to lose. "There was something." Regulus seemed to sit up straighter than he already did. "I was thinking how I didn't want to be like my dad, I mean, he's great, don't get me wrong, I just didn't want to be a copy of someone. I wanted… I wanted to be original, someone memorable."

"I think that's what they call ambition, Serena."

The aforementioned girl's heart skipped a beat upon hearing Regulus say her name. She covered it up as fast as she could, but didn't miss the questioning look in his eyes.

"Well, guess that clears that up, huh?" She scoffed. "Some Slytherin I am, barely made the cut."

Regulus nodded and leaned back against the trunk again. "You could be meaner, that is true. Slytherins do have a mean streak."

"But they protect their own."

"Why do you say that?"

Serena squirmed a little under his stare. "I didn't come up with it, Sev told me that today. Probably just his attempt to get me to calm down before I convinced myself someone would hex me in the halls." Something akin to fear flashed in her eyes. "Wait, that doesn't actually happen, does it?"

Regulus looked concerned for a moment before deciding on what to say. "I wouldn't say it doesn't happen, but I don't think it'll happen to you?" He phrased it like a question and Serena felt sick to her stomach.

"Oh, God." She clapped her hands to her face and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. She was getting tired. "Why don't you tell me nice things about Slytherin, huh? What's life like for y'all?" She missed the dark look that crossed Regulus' face.

"There's high society for the most part. Not just in Slytherin, but most pureblood families engage in it from across the United Kingdom and abroad too. We have galas, balls, whatever you want to call it. We dress up, socialize, go home. And repeat," he said, with a flourish of his hand. "It's all a touch aggravating really."

"Huh, just a touch? Sounds like someone resents it." Serena knew she must have toed the line because Regulus shot her a glare and she acquiesced. "Sorry, sorry."

"What's life like for a Hufflepuff?"

"My dad is a writer, newspaper editor really, Muggle and wizard stuff alike. He's good at it, you know, likes what he does. He's really nosy, said most people his age at Hogwarts weren't ever shocked that he was. They joked that Hufflepuffs could find anything, even a secret or rumour. He's a nice guy, though, I love him, raised me all by himself… He's had it rough."

"What about your mom?"

Serena smiled wanly. "That, Regulus, is a topic for another time."

"Fair enough. Now, let's get down to business: these are things you need to know to survive. Listen up."

And like that, Regulus and Serena formed a strange friendship no one saw coming. When they returned to classes that day everyone turned heads to see what the first bit of gossip of the school year was: their newfound friendship. It was the ease with which people now spoke to Serena, though, that stunned her. It took a while, but then Emily, who had already seemed friendly enough, now actively sat beside her during meals. Sophie and Alecto both began chatting with her as they got ready for bed and for classes in the morning. The boys in her year looked at her as if she was slightly less like scum, Wilkes taking a certain interest in her which repulsed her. Severus treated her the same as he always had, but it was Lily who was confused by the sudden change in attitudes. It was during lunch one day in October that Lily had pulled Serena aside after lunch during one of her free periods to question her.

"Okay, you've got to tell me what's up with all the Slytherin first years suddenly getting along with you. Last I checked, it was amiable at best, but you're sitting with them over me in classes?"

Serena looked affronted, not having expected this today. "I - I don't know? I just sit with them because they're my housemates. Come on, Lily, you remember how miserable I was at first. I spent my first night crying in my bed. Just be glad they aren't cursing me behind my back."

"It just doesn't make sense. What caused them to just switch moods from a couple days to the next?"

"What? I can't have friends now?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it, Rena."

Serena sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I don't know, Lils, one day to the next, Regulus was with me all the time and then they started looking at me differently. I think proximity to power is a real thing," she teased. "Nothing like being friends with a Black to get them to like you."

Lily crossed her arms, put out. "So proximity to power means that you just get to forget about hanging out with your best friend?"

"What was today?"

"We had made plans to study together for Transfiguration?" She looked at Serena expectantly. "Where were you going to run off to now if I hadn't stopped you?"

Rena looked down at her feet. "To hang out with Regulus." She looked back up at Lily. "Lils, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to start ditching you. You just sounded so happy with your housemates and I wanted that too and suddenly I had it too! That's no reason, though, I know, you're right."

Lily eyed her for a moment before pulling her in for a hug. "I'm sorry for snapping."

Serena hugged her tighter. "No, I'm sorry for being awful."

They pulled away and smiled at each other and Serena held her hand out. "Truce?"

"Truce," Lily agreed and shook her hand. "So, what now?"

"Well, I should probably go tell Regulus I'm bailing on him, so let's go do that. He's by the lake."

"How about you go do that and I'll grab us a table in the library?"

"Sounds good!" Serena waved goodbye with a promise of going quickly and made her way down to the lake. Regulus and she had agreed on the spot by the tree to be their go to point. Sometimes they brought others with them, but most times it was just them. Here was where Regulus taught Serena most of what she had learned about Slytherins and pureblood society. She couldn't change the fact she was half-blood, but she could hide the fact she had a history with Muggles so no one got on her back or, even worse, hexed her behind her back for it. She tried to take his advice about Lily, but it hurt her too much to avoid being around her friend, so she did what she could. When the opportunity arose to be with other Slytherins, she took it and hung out in less public areas with Lily, hence the corners of the library where fewer people would notice her. She knew this wasn't always going to be feasible, but she thought she could do it for as long as possible. She loved Lily too much to lose her.

Approaching the area by the lake, Serena noticed Regulus sitting against the trunk with a book open on his lap. She didn't stop the grin that stretched across her face. Regulus and her just worked. They were sarcastic and proud, yes, but Regulus was a calm and subdued confidence whereas Serena was gaining confidence the longer she was at Hogwarts. It was one thing to be confident around Muggles who didn't know her powers, but here at Hogwarts where everyone was powerful? Well, she had to fake it til she made it. And she was getting somewhere.

"Regulus!" she shouted across the space, stepping closer to him.

He looked at without so much as a flinch. "You're late, Serena. What kept you?"

Serena smiled apologetically. "Lily pulled me aside for a talk. She noticed I've been avoiding her." Serena let out a deep sigh. "I don't like avoiding her, Regulus."

"I know, but now your place in Slytherin is secured, that's what you wanted."

"Yeah." Serena looked off to the lake before turning her eyes back to the boy in front of her. "That being said, I'm going to have to ditch you today for her. She's waiting for me in the library." She smiled remorsefully again. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."

Regulus frowned slightly but shrugged. "That's fine." And he went back to his book.

Serena didn't have time to interrogate him for the cold shoulder, so she shook her head and went to the library.

She meandered through the nooks and crannies of the library to find Lily. She turned one final corner and heard them before she saw them. There stood James Potter and Sirius Black with Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, two more of the first year Gryffindors, hovering around Lily.

"Come on, Lily Evans, just one date? We can even study together!" James exclaimed, far too loud for a library. He may have charisma, but that didn't stop Serena from thinking he was a pompous toerag.

"She said no, James. Just let it go, already, you've been asking her that every time I see you all together."

Sirius was the first to retort. "Oh, look, it's the snake. What brings you slithering on over here?"

"Ha, ha, very funny, Sirius. For your information, I'm here to study with Lily."

"Just leave us alone already, please. That's the last time I'm asking you all."

Remus at least looked repentant. "Sorry, Lily, we'll leave now."

She looked at Remus with less disgust than she had at the others. "Thank you, Remus. Come on, Serena, sit down."

"Not so fast. How's my brother, Reggie doing, Carlisle? See you two hanging around each other a lot."

"That could be because we're housemates, Sirius. And he's a friend, what about it? You could ask him yourself if you're so worried about him, you know."

Sirius had the audacity to at least look a little flushed at the comment. "Come on, guys," he said and stalked away, Peter the first to follow. James and Remus lingered a minute more before deciding it was as good as over already. Once they were out of sight, the two girls groaned in unison.

"They're so annoying!"

"I know, Lils. Maybe one day they'll grow up."

"Fat chance of that happening, boys mature slower than girls. We may be waiting decades for those boys."

They shared a laugh at the group's expense and got down to studying. Transfiguration came easily to Lily, but harder for Serena. They found themselves excelling in their studies, enraptured with the world they had heard so much about and speculated about for years. The two of them were so caught up in reading, they didn't notice the dimming light in the library - the sun was setting. It wasn't until Serena felt a presence behind her that she jumped up and looked around.

"Oh, it's you, Sev, what's up?" she asked, shutting the book in front of her.

"Do you two just fancy leaving me out of plans?" Severus looked more fed up than Serena had seen him in a while. And she saw him pretty often.

"Not particularly, why do you ask?" Lily inquired.

"Because I had to find out from Regulus Black where my two closest friends were, instead of them directly."

Serena opened her mouth and closed it quickly. Lily took the lead in answering. "We're sorry, Sev. It completely slipped our minds."

"Yeah, what Lils said."

Severus sneered and swept away, leaving the library. The two girls turned to each other.

"Has he always been this moody? No, right?" Serena asked.

Lily nodded. "Slytherins, I swear."

"Hey!"

"I said what I said! Or do you not recall the argument we just had today with you avoiding me, missy?"

She slumped in her chair. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. But I swear, we're not all bad. Regulus is really sweet, deep down, no matter what Sirius claims."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Rena."

And so the two friends packed up and made their way to dinner, chatting about the latest gossip traveling the castle, something to do with a prefect getting caught with another one.


End file.
